Gov't gives over P300M seed fund for metro socialized housing

MANILA, Philippines - Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas on Tuesday announced that the national government has given a total of P334.5 million seed fund to six city governments in Metro Manila for socialized housing projects.

Under the department's One Safe Future (1SF) program, the cities of  Malabon, Las Pinas, Muntinlupa, Caloocan, Navotas and Manila will get seed money for socialized housing projects for informal settler famillies (ISFs) living in high-risk areas.

Of the 14,500 ISFs, more than 8,000 families have been relocated to safe areas also within the metro.

"This isn't a political promise but a moral promise made by PNoy," Roxas said in the memorandum of agreement (MOA) signing at the Baseco Evacuation Centre Compound in Manila, together with Mayor Joseph Estrada.

President Benigno Aquino III placed Roxas in charge of the relocation of ISFs living in high-risk areas in Metro Manila.

"We are here to provide sturdy and safe houses for all those living in danger areas,"  Roxas added.

A revolving fund that will be used for the in-city resettlement of ISFs is provided for in the MOA signed by key local government officials in Metro Manila and DILG Undersecretary for the Urban Poor, ISFs and Other Special Concerns Tom Villarin.

Roxas said the 1SF program envisions an ISF-free community in Metro Manila by 2016.

He noted that the relocation program is not a "one size fits all" solution, citing the importance of a bottom-up approach in addressing the needs of stakeholders.

"Because we're all here as a community, this is in fulfillment of what President Aquino calls 'whole of country approach': participatory and united," he said.